Day 165 of 365

2 Sam 20:1–26

1 There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!"

2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present."

5 So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight."

7 There went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and did not strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 There stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, "He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!"

12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'"

17 He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your handmaid." He answered, "I do hear."

18 Then she spoke, saying, "They were used to say in old times, 'They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;' and so they settled it.

19 I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?"

20 Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."

22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;

24 and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

25 and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

John 21:1–25

1 After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself this way.

2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.

3 Simon Peter said to them, "I'm going fishing." They told him, "We are also coming with you." They went out, and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing.

4 But when day had already come, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5 Jesus therefore said to them, "Children, have you anything to eat?" They answered him, "No."

6 He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." They cast it therefore, and now they weren't able to draw it in for the multitude of fish.

7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!" So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around him (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea.

8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away), dragging the net full of fish.

9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish placed on it, and bread.

10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught."

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fish, one hundred fifty-three; and even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

12 Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." None of the disciples dared inquire of him, "Who are you?" knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples, after he had risen from the dead.

15 So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."

16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you have affection for me?" Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, "Do you have affection for me?" He said to him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

18 Truly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you do not want to go."

19 Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus sincerely loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus' breast at the supper and asked, "Lord, who is going to betray You?"

21 Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"

22 Jesus said to him, "If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me."

23 This saying therefore went out among the brothers, that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?"

24 This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true.

25 There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself would not have room for the books that would be written.

Ps 71:1–24

1 In you, Lord, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

3 Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For you are my hope, Lord God; my confidence from my youth.

6 I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother's womb. I will always praise you.

7 I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all the day.

9 Do not reject me in my old age. Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

11 saying, "God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him."

12 God, do not be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

13 Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

14 But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.

15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I do not know its full measure.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord God. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

17 God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, do not forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

19 Your righteousness also, God, reaches to the heavens; you have done great things. God, who is like you?

20 You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

21 Increase my honor, and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

24 My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me.